Briefs: Williamsburg/york

June 10, 1998|By Daily Press

JCC, WILLIAMSBURG GET FEDERAL GRANTS

James City County and Williamsburg received good news to the tune of nearly half a million dollars on Tuesday.

Williamsburg received a federal grant for $335,000 to spruce up subsidized housing on Dunning Street, Mimosa Drive, New Hope Road and Scotland Street. The city's grant proposal also said people who live in the buildings will be able to work on the improvements as part of a job training program.

James City received a grant from the same program for $100,000. The money will match money some homeowners spend on home improvements or savings for a down payment. The county estimated 34 homeowners will be helped by the program.

The federal grants, called Community Development Block Grants, are distributed to local governments by each state. The money is supposed to provide jobs or basic services to low- and moderate-income people in rural or non-metropolitan communities across the state.

OUTSIDE INCIDENT KEEPS STUDENTS IN

WILLIAMSBURG - An incident outside James Blair Middle School Monday morning kept students in their classrooms for several minutes, although school officials said they were never in danger.

Shortly after 10 a.m., a Surry County man and some friends stopped their car in James Blair's parking lot, Williamsburg Deputy Police Chief Dave Sloggie said Tuesday. The Surry County man got out of the car and tried to cut his wrists, Sloggie said, and two of his friends wrestled him to the ground and held him until police arrived.

One friend, who was apparently bleeding, went into the school to ask the staff to call 911, school spokeswoman Amy Carlini said. Principal Cynthia Rhone used a code word over the school's public address system to tell teachers to keep students in the classrooms, and the restrictions stayed in place for about 15 minutes, Carlini said.

Carlini said no students saw the men involved in the incident and the normal class schedule was not disrupted. She said Rhone was correct to follow the school's crisis intervention policy in this instance.

The Surry man was treated and released from Williamsburg Community Hospital and no charges were filed. However, he was taken to the Virginia Peninsula Regional jail because police discovered a warrant for his arrest issued in Petersburg.

JCC RESIDENT KILLED IN HEAD-ON COLLISION YORK - A 54-year-old James City man died after his car ran off the road on the right, hit a guardrail, then slid back across the road and struck another car head-on, State Police said.

Teddy Chapman, of the 100 block of Greenway Circle, is believed to have died as a result of a medical condition that caused the accident, rather than as a direct result of the accident, said State Police spokeswoman Tammy Van Dame.

Chapman had no visible signs of physical trauma, and witnesses saw his head slump over the steering wheel right before the accident about 4:35 p.m. Saturday on Route 132 just south of Route 143 in upper York, Van Dame said.

Ruth Guthrie, also 54, of the 700 block of Rock Crest Court in Newport News, was taken to Williamsburg Community Hospital with minor injuries, Van Dame said.

She said Guthrie was wearing a seat belt, and the airbag in her 1996 Toyota Camry deployed. Chapman driving a 1991 Ford Escort, also was wearing a seat belt, she said.

Van Dame said Trooper Eric VanFossen and a York County deputy, whose name she didn't know, gave Chapman CPR for 15 to 20 minutes, but he was pronounced dead at Williamsburg community Hospital at 5:46 p.m.

The accident closed Route 132 for about 25 minutes, Van Dame said.

2 WITH KNIFE ROB GAS STATION CLERK

YORK - A Grafton gas station clerk reported he was robbed while counting money Monday night, said York County Sheriff Press Williams.

The victim said two men armed with a large knife came in and grabbed him, wrapped duct tape around his arms and legs and took the money, Williams said.

The robbery occurred at the Grafton Exxon on Route 17 about 10:30 p.m., Williams said.

CHAIN SAWS STOLEN; VANDALISM REPORTED

YORK - The York County Sheriff's Office is looking for tips about the following crimes:

* Eight chain saws were stolen over the weekend from a vehicle at the Grafton Exxon in the 4400 block of Route 17. The "Stihl" brand saws are worth more than $3,700.

* The new Yorkshire Downs shopping center, under construction in the 3300 block of Hampton Highway, was vandalized between 5:30 p.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday. Plumbing, sheetrock and insulation was damaged.

Crime Line will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Anyone with information can call 890-3400.